Volume 2 Issue 1 | January 15th 2021 |
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A Roundup of Chamber News & Resources
We're Here to Support As Your Indispensable Partner In Business!
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Winner of the Leading Advocates For Local Business Development
2020 Canadian Business Award
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Greetings!
Every year brings new challenges, success and change. We greet this year and the second state of emergency with a humble heart and unwavering steadfastness to the needs of the times we face individually, in business and as a community.
As we stay connected and continue to stand strong together, we move into the new year with a higher degree of resourcefulness and ability to quickly pivot more than ever before. We send you our best wishes as we all strive to make the most of our circumstances in the coming days, weeks and months ahead.
In today's newsletter, you'll find information about the following events, relief programs and more:
- January 28th's Business After 5 Chamber Open House, Know Your Resources & Membership Benefits. All businesses welcome to register via Zoom. Click here: https://bit.ly/KnowYourResources2021;
- Provincial stay-at-home order;
- Ontario small business support grant and added relief measures--applications open;
- Regional Tourism Organization 7 (RTO7) funding program for tourist operators and restaurants;
- Town support with financial relief options during COVID-19;
- Canada Summer Jobs Program---providing job opportunities for youth and support to employers across Canada;
- Two online events--Growth Through People & Is Poverty Limiting Your Employees' Productivity?; and
- Chamber 2021 calendar of events, new member welcome and other programs below.
Thank you again for your commitment and partnership. Our organization is strong because of you. Together, we will continue to tackle this challenge (and whatever the future may bring), ensuring that Wasaga Beach will not only get through this, but will thrive in spite of it!
Sincerely,
Your Wasaga Beach Chamber of Commerce
P.S. By now members should have received the membership letter and renewal notice by post. If you haven't, email us at office@wasagachamber.com.
P.P.S. Contact office@wasagachamber.com to get involved through sponsorships, prizes, volunteering, promotional opportunities and more.
P.P.P.S. Register for your FREE Digital Marketplace account and set up your business listing on Wasaga Beach's Community Information & Business Web Portal. Click here to set up your listing now.
How Can We Help?
The Wasaga Beach Chamber of Commerce is the support and voice for local business. Email us at office@wasagachamber.com to let us know how we can help. NOTE: The best way to reach us is by email at office@wasagachamber.com. You can also call 705-429-2247 and leave a message. |
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Know Your Resources & Membership Benefits
Chamber Open House | January 28 at 5:30pm
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Join us at the Wasaga Beach Chamber of Commerce's Open House
Getting to Know Your Resources & Membership Benefits
Thursday, January 28th at 5:30pm on Zoom
Special Guest: Trevor McPherson, VP Ontario Chamber of Commerce Member Services
Open to All Businesses - Register Today!
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Chamber Calendar of Events 2021 |
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- January 28: Business After 5 - Know Your Resources & Benefits Chamber Open House
- February 25 : Business After 5 - Crossfit Mozomo Athletics
- March 8: Celebrating Women In Business Awards
- March (Mid to Late March): Community Guide Delivered to Chamber & Distributed Via Canada Post
- March 25: Business After 5 - Wasaga Tax & Accounting
- April: Chamberlicious Spring Campaign
- April 29: Business After 5 - ENJO
- May 27: Business After 5 - Rustuk Ink
- June 10: Business Expo & Annual General Meeting
- July 29: Business After 5 - Ontario Insurance Network & MMEA
- August 26: Business After 5 - Nature's Cleaning Team
- September 16: Business Awards & Recognition Ceremony
- September 30: Business After 5 - De Palma & Associate Legal Services
- October 21: Small Business Week - Mayor Salute & Chamber Mix N Mingle
- November 25: Business After 5 - Holiday Social + Toy, Coat and Food Drive
*event listings are subject to change
**events will be held virtually until further notice
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Province Issues Stay-At-Home Order
Effective Thursday, January 14, 2021 at 12:01am
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Notice courtesy of the Town of Wasaga Beach Economic Development Office |
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In response to the doubling of COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks, the real and looming threat of the collapse of the province's hospital system and alarming risks posed to long-term care homes as a result of high COVID-19 transmission rates, the Ontario government, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of Health and other health experts, is immediately declaring a second provincial emergency under s 7.0.1 (1) of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMPCA).
Effective Thursday, January 14, 2021at 12:01 a.m., the government is issuing a stay-at-home order requiring everyone to remain at home with exceptions for essential purposes, such as going to the grocery store or pharmacy, accessing health care services, for exercise or for essential work. This order and other new and existing public health restrictions are aimed at limiting people's mobility and reducing the number of daily contacts with those outside an immediate household. In addition to limiting outings to essential trips, all businesses must ensure that any employee who can work from home, does work from home.
In response to the alarming and exceptional circumstances at hand, and to further interrupt the deadly trend of transmission in Ontario communities, hospitals, and long-term care homes, the government will enact the following additional public health measures:
- Outdoor organized public gatherings and social gatherings are further restricted to a limit of five people with limited exceptions. This is consistent with the rules during the lockdown during the first wave of COVID-19 in spring 2020 and will allow individuals and families to enjoy time outdoors safely.
- Individuals are required to wear a mask or face covering indoors at businesses or organizations that are open. Wearing a mask or face covering is now recommended outdoors when you can't physically distance more than two (2) meters.
- All non-essential retail stores, including hardware stores, alcohol retailers, and those offering curbside pickup or delivery, must open no earlier than 7:00 a.m. and close no later than 8 p.m. The restricted hours of operation do not apply to stores that primarily sell food, pharmacies, gas stations, convenience stores, and restaurants for takeout or delivery.
- Non-essential construction is further restricted, including below-grade construction, exempting survey.
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Ontario Small Business Support Grant & Added Relief |
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This morning Small Business Minister, Prabmeet Sarkaria announced that applications for the New Ontario Small Business Support Grant are now open. This vital program will provide eligible businesses a one-time grant in much needed support to help get them through these challenging times.
In the announcement, Small Business Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said that the government will provide a minimum of $10,000 and up to $20,000 to eligible small businesses facing challenges due to the necessary Provincewide Shutdown. This grant allows flexibility for small business owners so that they can spend it however makes the most sense for their businesses (e.g., paying rent, paying employee wages, maintaining inventory, etc.).
We encourage all to promote and share information on this program to help Ontario’s small businesses.
Small Business Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria also encourages all small businesses to visit Ontario’s One-Window Small Business Portal which lists all available supports for small businesses struggling with COVID-19 at www.ontario.ca/smallbusiness
The government is also providing $600-million for property tax and energy bill rebates to support businesses required to close or significantly restrict services due to public health restrictions.
In addition, they are providing tax relief which includes a proposal to provide municipalities with the ability to cut property taxes for small businesses and reduce business education taxes. The province has also permanently increased the Employer Health Tax (EHT) payroll exemption to $1 million, meaning 90 per cent of employers pay no EHT.
The government of Ontario understands that people of this province are making difficult sacrifices to stop the spread of this virus, often at great personal cost. Through it all, the government recognizes the continued to support as people work together in the fight against this terrible virus. It is that Ontario Spirit that will power the economic recovery of Canada's job-creation engine as we look towards a brighter future together."
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Regional Tourism Organization 7 Funding Program |
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Attention Wasaga Beach Tourism Operators & Restaurant Owners,
The RTO7 as well as the municipalities of Grey and Simcoe Counties and the cities of Barrie and Orillia recognize the significant decline in activity for many tourism dependent communities as a result of the COVID pandemic. Together they wish to offset the high costs incurred by tourism-oriented businesses and organizations. This non-repayable contribution is limited to tourism SMEs (1-99 employees), Indigenous and Not-For-Profit tourism operators to help cover the cost of a COVID-19 related project (see examples of eligible project costs below). Note: This funding is not for marketing or marketing related projects.
The COVID Tourism Response Fund provides $500,000, to be distributed by Regional Tourism Organization 7 in collaboration with Grey County, Simcoe County, City of Barrie and the City of Orillia for tourism-related businesses in the form of a one-time, non-repayable contribution of $2,500 - $20,000. Deadline on the program is the end of January or until the funds are spent. Act quickly! NOTE: Applicants need to have a matching cash contribution of 20%.
Eligibility*:
- Tourism Operators as defined by and according to Tourism HR Canada includes:
- Accommodations (hotels, motels, resorts, campgrounds, and recreational vehicle facilities);
- Recreation and Entertainment (zoos, museums, theatres, sports facilities, amusement parks, government parks, heritage sites, hunting, fishing or outdoor adventure outfitters, and casinos);
- Food and beverage services (restaurants from fast service to fine dining, as well as pubs, nightclubs, cruise ships, and convention centres);
- Travel services (retail travel agencies, wholesale tour companies, or corporate offices with their own booking divisions); and
- Transportation (companies that provide transport by air, land or water, and include airlines, bus companies, taxi companies, ferry services, and cruise ships).
- Not for Profit Enterprises and Indigenous Organizations/Communities that support tourists
- Retail stores heavily dependent on tourism may also be considered
The intention of this fund is to help offset the high cost of keeping tourists and staff safe while adapting to the changing health and safety requirements and the increasing safety demands of tourists during COVID. Examples of adaptation are the addition or expansion of patios at restaurants, the plexiglass barriers at counters or between tables, touchless payment systems, reservation systems, sanitization stations, COVID sanitizer fogging equipment, etc.
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Town Support With Financial Relief Options |
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Looking for town support during COVID-19? Visit the Wasaga Open For Business Recovery Portal for information on financial relief options currently being offered to businesses.
Economic Development staff continue to be available by phone and e-mail to provide support and assistance to the public, business community and investors. Please call 705-429-3844, ext. 2274 or email at edo@wasagabeach.com.
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Government Support For Summer Jobs |
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The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on young Canadians who are trying to find work. Employers also face challenges when recruiting and hiring workers while adapting to the realities of the pandemic. That’s why the Canada Summer Jobs program continues to take action to provide good job opportunities for youth and to support employers across Canada.
This year up to 120,000 job opportunities will be available to young Canadians through Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program. This represents a 50 percent increase from the 80,000 CSJ opportunities approved in 2020.
Service Canada is offering free webinars from January 9 to January 27 2021. Employers interested in applying for CSJ 2021 funding are encouraged to attend the webinars. The Government of Canada will continue to work to protect Canadians’ jobs and to help businesses stay strong.
Join from anywhere! The presentations are delivered via WebEx technology, with the audio portion provided via telephone. Choose to attend the webinars that are most convenient to you, the webinar schedule is outlined below.
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Growth Through People No Cost Course
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Delivered over three weeks, this free course combines expert-led sessions, small-group workshops, and one-on-one mentoring designed to help you kick-start new initiatives, optimize existing processes and fuel people-led growth.
For more information, including how to register, click here.
Program highlights
- Expert-led sessions with world-class people operations experts: Sessions include speakers who have architected and led people operations at companies like ecobee, Eventbrite, Google, OMERS, EY, TalentMap, Twitter, Yelp and more.
- Small-group workshops: Workshops enable you to tailor solutions to your specific context with the guidance of an experienced people-operations mentor. Meet new peers each week and grow your network.
- One-on-one mentoring: Participants who complete the course requirements will gain access to a limited amount of free 1:1 mentoring with an exclusive network of world-class experts who provide advice on seizing growth opportunities and overcoming obstacles.
Dates and times
Sessions
Dates: February 11, 18, 25, March 4
Time: 10am - 1:30pm ET
Workshops
Dates: February 16, 23, March 2
Times: 12pm - 1pm ET
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Is Poverty Limiting Your Employees' Productivity? |
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To register, please click on this link:
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Thank You For Adverting Your Business
In The 2021 Community Information Guide
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WIDE CIRCULATION
25,000 copies of the The 2021 Official Community Information Guides are distributed nationwide through visitor information centers, as fulfillment to visitor inquiries, at trade shows, and through distribution at many local businesses throughout the area.
We also mail copies to all households in Wasaga Beach and select postal codes in Collingwood, Elmvale, Stayner and surrounding areas.
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KYLE YOUNG
Nutrition & Wellness Services
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SUNSET GRILL
Breakfast Restaurant
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GEORGIAN BAY RESTORATION
Residential & Commercial Services
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NATURE'S CLEANING TEAM
Residential & Office Services
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CROSSFIT MZMO ATHLETICS
Fitness, Nutrition & Personal Training
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RUSTUK INK
Luxury Tattoo Studio
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MMEA CATERING
Like NONA Made It!
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JENNY HALL - ENJOPRENEUR
Natural Cleaning Products
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WASAGA EATS
Wasaga Beach Restaurant Directory
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ONTARIO INSURANCE NETWORK
Fiona Frustaci, Insurance Broker
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CRO NORTH INSULATION
Trusted Insulation Contractors
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WASAGA BEACH WOMEN'S BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
Professional Networking Group
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The Digital Marketplace Web Portal!
Advertise Your Business With A FREE Place Listing
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The Digital Marketplace is a Wasaga Beach Chamber of Commerce initiative to share local business and community information during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. We invite all local businesses, organizations, associations, community resources, clubs and places to register for an account.
Once your account is created, you can login to add your business place information and also add any upcoming events. Yes, you can do all of this yourself as well as update your business listing information as needed! Note: Tutorials are available to walk you through the process. Click here to access the video.
Currently all event and business listings are free and you do not need to be a member of the Chamber to participate. Our goal is to build the Digital Marketplace as the go-to portal for Wasaga Beach business and community information. We need your help to do this! You can help us reach this goal by registering for an account and listing your business information as soon as possible.
Our plan is to market the new portal through both traditional and online marketing channels to spread the word about local business here in Wasaga Beach.
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The Chamber provides Personal Protective Kits to residents and tourists for $10 per kit. Business owners can also pick up a kit with social distancing signage provided by the Town of Wasaga Beach. You are welcome to stop by the office of Wasaga Tax & Accounting Monday through Thursday from 8am to 4pm. For more information or to inquire about sponsorship or volunteer opportunities, contact Colleen Bannerman at colleenb@wasagatax.com or email office@wasagachamber.com. |
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Sponsorship Opportunity: Personal Protection Kits
All Sales Proceeds Donated to The Ministerial Food Bank
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Financial Resources
Video Series
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2020 Community Information Guide |
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Getting to Know Your Local Resources Video Series |
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Workplace Safety & Prevention Services |
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Post Pandemic Business Playbook |
A starter guide to restarting a Post Pandemic business. This tool can help you set priorities, get plans in place and protect your people.
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CTM Media Group Announces
1 Million Dollars In Matching Funds Program
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For Businesses That Have Been Affected By COVID-19 |
CTM is a leader in delivering your message to people looking for places to go and sights to see.
This past year has been difficult for businesses seeking to attract travelers and locals looking for fun.
That's why CTM is launching the Discover More! Program to help businesses amplify their message and make their marketing dollars go a lot further.
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Chamber Governing Bodies Resources & Links |
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Ontario Chamber of Commerce: COVID-19 Tools & Resources For Your Business -
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Wasaga Beach & COVID-19 Information Page |
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Economic Development staff continue to be available by phone and e-mail to provide support and assistance to the public, business community and investors. Please call 705-429-3844, ext. 2274 or email at edo@wasagabeach.com.
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Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Portal
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From Our Partners | Employee Benefits |
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Watch Our Video On Employee Benefits |
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2019 - 2021 Board of Directors |
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Colleen Bannerman, Chamber President - Wasaga Tax & Accounting
Tyler Rollins, Chamber Vice President - Key Mortgage Partners
Leslie Listro, Chamber Secretary/Treasurer - Caithkin Treatment Foster Homes
Selena Blais - Chamber Director - Georgian Life Media
Joel Simpson - Chamber Director - Georgian Family Chiropractic
Jason Ruttan - Chamber Director - RE/MAX of Wasaga Beach Inc., Brokerage
Christina De Palma - Chamber Director - De Palma & Associate Legal Services
Jennie Elmslie - Chamber Director - Free Spirit Tours
Ava Alward - Chamber Director - Realtor, RE/MAX of Wasaga Beach Inc.
Kathy Mulgrew - Chamber Director - Stonebridge Wasaga Beach Blues
Tanya Emmons - Chamber Director - Butterfly Bliss Healing
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